Oil or gas well snuffer



1938- c. E. WHEELER 2,125,762

OIL OR GAS WELL SNUFFER Filed Aug. 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l EIEI I] INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES OILOR AS WELL sNnFFER' Charles E. Wheeler, Casper, Wyo., assignor of twenty-five per cent to Marcel L. Gehres and twenty-five percent to Bryant S. Gromer, both of Casper, Wyo.

Application August 716, 1937, Serial No. 159,395 1 Claim. (01. 166-15) My invention relates to improvements in oil or gas well snuffers andmore particularly tothat class known as control heads for controlling the flow of oil or gas from wells,

One of the principal objectsof my invention is to provide a control head "for wells equipped with means for readily attaching the same to a well casing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character equipped with means for quickly and effectively bringing the well under control.

A further object of my invention is to provide means of the above described character which is simple in operation, durable in construction and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claim and annexed drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention illustrating the same in connection with a well casing and in controlled position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the control head disengaged from the well casing and in position for immediate connection thereto.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating the intermediate position of the control head during the engaging or disengaging movement with the casing.

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the control head secured to a well casing.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail perspective views of the hinge member.

In practicing my invention I employ pairs of pivoted hinge members 5 and 6 having pairs of casing engaging arms I and 8, respectively, secured thereto. Each pair of the casing engaging arms 1 and 8 are formed with outwardly offset arcuate sections 9 forming a casing receiving sleeve. The arms I are clamped about a con trol head casing ID by means of suitable bolts and nuts H. The arms I have interposed therebetween at one end the hinge members 5 secured thereto by bolts and nuts Ila.

The arms 8 are secured to a well casing [2 by bolts and nuts I3. The hinge members 6 are secured on the outer face of the arms 8 by nuts and bolts [5.

The pivoted ends of the hinge members are formed with corresponding elongated slots [6 through which is secured a pivot pin H, the slot permitting relative adjustment between the head and easing when the head is being secured in' position. I

The well casing l2, on the upper end thereof adjacent the arms 8, is provided with a coupling l8 of ordinary construction which is adapted to seat within a sleeve l9 carried by a similar coupling 20 secured to the head casing H1. The inner periphery of the sleeve l9, adjacent the lower end thereof, is formed with a circumferentially extending groove 2| having secured therein a gasket 22 constructed of suitable material. Said gasket is of ring shape, the body portion extending without the groove 2| and of a sufficient width to permit the central aperture formed therethrough to register with the apertures formed in the couplings l8 and 20.

When the control head is connected to the well casing in control position, there is provided a pair of stay bolts 23 having nuts 24 for securing the head to the well casing in adjusted position as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In this position, the nuts 24 are adjustable to cause the couplings to compress the gasket 22 therebetween and prevent leakage therefrom. The lower face of the sleeve i9 is tapered inwardly to guide the upper end of the coupling l8 into proper seating position.

Secured to the upper end of the head casing is a suitable cutoff valve adapted for connection with an outlet pipe 25 when the control head is in controlled position. Operation of the valve serves to govern and control the flow of liquid or gas through the pipe 25 and to close the end of the head casing if] when the occasion warrants.

The casing H) has secured thereto, intermediate of the valve and arms I, a pair of similar arms 26 clamped thereon by means of bolts and nuts. Attached to one of the bolts, on the side opposite the hinge members, are a pair of hooks 21 and 28 to which are attached operating cables 29 and 30 respectively. The cable 29 engages a pulley 3| rotatably supported by a standard 32 located adjacent the casing l2, and the cable 30 engages a similar pulley 33 mounted on the standard subjacent the pulley 3!.

The pulley 3| is mounted on the standard a sufficient distance above the horizontal axis of the control head casing, when in the non-operating position illustrated in Fig. 2, and the pulley 33 is mounted on the standard somewhat below the horizontal plane of the sleeve I 9.

When a well is running wild and it is desired to place the same under control, the arms 8 are attached to the well casing, placing the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 2. Pull on the cable 29 about the pulley 3| serves to pivot the control head about the pivot pin l1 and raise the same upwardly. When the control head reaches the intermediate position as illustrated in Fig. 3, the cable 30 is then brought into operation to continue the movement of the control head to engaging or control position with the coupling IB carried by the casing I2. When the sleeve l9 engages the coupling l8, the stay bolts 23 are then applied to lock the parts together and pull the invention or scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim In combination with a well casing having an upper end section, a wllshfifferdevice comprising a controlhead casing equipped with a coupling on the lower end thereof, a sleeve fixed to said coupling and having a lower section extending below the lower end of the coupling, said sleeve formed with an interior circumferentially extending groove adjacent said lower section, a gasket mounted in said groove for effecting a seal between said coupling and said well casing, said lower section fashioned with an arcuate shaped circumferentially extending inner face for guiding said lower section over the upper 7 section of said well casing, pairs of relatively adjustable hinged arms clamped to said control head and said well casing respectively and permittingverticaladjustment of said control head relative'tosaid well casing, means connected to said control head above said coupling for pivoting, said control head above said well casing for connection with the latter through the medium of said sleeve, and bolts equipped with nuts and extending through the respective pairs of arms for'adjusting said control'head on said well 'casing in a manner tocompress said gasket and thereby seal said sleeve on said upper end of said well casing. i g Y s CHARLES E. WHEELER. 

